Discharge
by Jayne Leigh
Summary: Just how did B.J get that discharge during 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen?


**Just a short standalone, I've been working on. Spoilers for 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.' I hope you like it! Please review! **

**Enjoy! **

**Discharge**

Klinger looked down at the form that sat on his desk. Recommendation for discharge. It was all fill in apart from the line where the Colonel's signature was meant to go. He knew Potter would never sign the papers but that was not a problem. He had gotten pretty good at signing the Colonel's name, although he had never used it before. He came close that one time everyone had laughed at the belongs his family had sent from home but he eventually saw the error of his ways.

This was different though, this wasn't some crazy scheme to get out of the army early. This wasn't him being selfish. He was trying to help a friend before it was too late. He re-read the information again, to check it was all correct. He did not want it to get sent back.

"But Colonel, I am a superior Surgeon!" Major Charles Winchester claimed, as he followed Colonel Potter into the office causing Klinger to cover the form with other paperwork.

"So, you've told me three time already, Major but I am not changing my mind."

"Just give me one , I should not be made Chief Surgeon."

Klinger watched them but did not say anything. He could tell the Colonel was near his breaking point but as per normal Winchester failed to notice.

"Hunnicutt has been here longer, he quicker then you, he works better with the nurses and the medics then you do and I know how much you hate to hear this but he's just as capable surgeon as you are!" Potter snapped, his voice getting louder with each word. "Now, while Captain Pierce is absent, Captain Hunnicutt will be acting Chief Surgeon! Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear." Winchester finally give up.

"Good, now maybe can I get on with my work." The Colonel replied and Winchester turned on his heels and left.

"That man is going send me loopy!" Potter muttered but then mentally kicked himself, remembering Hawkeye.

"Colonel? Everything all right?" Klinger looked up at him.

"As all right as it could be." Potter replied. "I think, everyone is a little down at the moment."

"We're all pretty worried about Captain Pierce."

"I know...I am too."

"You made Captain Hunnicutt Chief Surgeon? Does that mean, you don't think Hawkeye will be coming back?"

"Sidney's the best in the business, so I'm pretty sure he'll be back but I just don't know when." He sighed. "The people around this camp think a lot of Pierce and Hunnicutt, so I think for the good of the camp, they need to see B.J trying to carry on as normal as possible. Also for the good of B.J...He could do with the distraction, right now."

Klinger thought about it and the Colonel was right. Despite how much Hawkeye and B.J hated it here, they helped a lot of people to get through this war. It was a good thing, Colonel Potter realized how much people need to blow of steam because otherwise the two of them wouldn't have been able to get away with half the stuff they did and the camp would be a much more depressing place.

"Is that paperwork, you need to me to sign?" Potter gestured to the desk.

"What? Oh, no, Sir...this stuff has already been sign and ready to be sent to I-corps."

"Okay, well I'll be in my office if you need me."

"Yes, Sir."

Once he was alone again, Klinger pulled out the discharge papers again.

"Max, come quick!"

"Soon Lee? What's wrong?" He asked in concerned.

"There's a talent show in the Mess tent!" She told him, excited. "Captain Hunnicutt, sent me to get you! He needs help with the costumes."

"A talent show?"

"Captain Hunnicutt and Father Mulcahy wanted to cheer up the children from the orphanage up." She tugged on his arm to get him to stand. "Come on, we got work to do!"

"Okay, I'm coming." He couldn't help but laugh a little. "But I just got to finish this paperwork."

"But you'll miss it!"

"I'll be five minutes." He promised. "Tell B.J, I'll bring my sowing kit."

She smiled widely at him before heading for the door.

It was the happiest, he had seen her since she had arrived in camp. She had been so concerned about her parents that he just couldn't seem to cheer up. Even the day they went to beach, they spent a lot of time talking about her family.

Then all the refugees turned up and she had been helping out with them. Now, something as a simple as a talent show had lifted her sprites. He stood up and walked over to the door, looking through the window. He could the whole camp, buzzing around, carrying various different items. It seemed like everyone was getting involved.

Moving back to his desk, he picked up the discharge papers again. He suddenly felt torn as he re-read them;

Captain, Hunnicutt, B.J. M.A.S.H 4077th.

He thought back to a few days before they went to the beach. Hawkeye had been following Colonel Potter around all day, trying to convince him to allow them all to go. Morale was low in camp and Hawkeye had especially been concerned about B.J, who was growing more homesick as it got closer and closer to his daughter's birthday. Potter finally relented when they heard the fighting had shifted and they were expecting a break from the war. Major Winchester had been all to happy to volunteer to stay in the camp with Colonel Potter.

Everyone had such a good day but then that bus journey on the way home, changed everything.

They had all been shocked when they realized that the Korean woman had smothered her own baby and it was something that Klinger was never going to forget. He remembered watching B.J all the way back to camp. Father Mulcahy was talking to Hawkeye, trying to assure him it had not been his fault, and Margaret was comforting the Mother, the best she could.

It was B.J that held the baby.

He never took his eyes off the small lifeless body in his arms and Klinger had heard him, singing a lullaby so quietly that he could barely make out the words.

So, that was why he filled in the paperwork the minute Hawkeye had left with Sidney because when he heard one of the Captain had 'lost it' and crashed into The Office club, Klinger had presumed it was B.J. He had thought that the one, that was nearing breaking point was the Captain that was already broken apart from being torn away from his own daughter. Klinger knew that secretly, B.J hated it whenever the Orphans came to the camp because he couldn't help bond with them and then they had to leave.

He had known Hawkeye for a long time and Klinger consider him a good friend. It broke his heart to see him like that. He was not about to stand there and watch it happened to B.J too. So, he filled in the paperwork for the discharge because those two was his heroes and he would do anything for them. He might not have been able to help Hawkeye but could help B.J. He could get him out of here in time for Erin's birthday.

Now, he couldn't help think about everyone else in the camp. These people were his family too and they relied on one another. Would they be able to survive without both Hawkeye and B.J? And what would happen if Hawkeye did return and B.J was not there?

"Mail call." The door opened and Klinger covered the papers again.

"Hey, it's about time it got here." Klinger took hold of the sack of mail and signed on his name on the clipboard that was held out to him.

"I can only deliver it when I receive it." The Sergeant replied. "Have you got your reports ready for I-corps?"

"Klinger, what's taking so long?" Father Mulcahy hurried through the door. "We got work to do."

"I'm coming, Father." Klinger grabbed the stack of the papers and handed them to the Sergeant.

"Lets go!" Father Mulcahy said impatiently.

"Okay, okay..." Klinger followed him out the office.

XxXxX

Klinger returned to his office a few hours later. All the kids had costumes made for the talent show that was going to take place after dinner. He had a hour to finish up his paperwork, so he could enjoy a much needed night off.

He sat down at his desk and was surprise to see it clear of paper.

What had happened to the discharge papers?

"I've just been speaking to Father Mulcahy and Captain Hunnicutt..." Colonel Potter walked in, laughing lightly. "They say you did a great job with the costumes."

"Uh, yes, Sir..." Klinger replied, distractedly; looking on the floor to see if the papers had fall off the desk.

"You lost something, Son?"

"Just some paperwork, Sir..." Klinger replied. "They were on my desk before I went to help out with the talent show."

"Are you sure you left them there? You didn't put them away?"

"No, Sir...I remember putting then under the pile of reports for I-Corps..." He started but then trailed off. "Oh no..."

"What it is?"

"I was in a hurry and I grabbed the reports of the desk when they came to collect them...They must have got mixed up with them."

"Well, was it anything important?"

"Uh, no, Sir...Just some unfinished paperwork."

"I'm sure they will send them back, once they find them." Potter told him before heading into his own office.

Klinger sighed loudly and wondered what he should do. What if they realized they were fake papers...He could get into a lot of trouble. He may also get B.J into trouble. What if they actually approved the discharge and B.J was sent home. What would that mean for the rest of the people in the camp and for Hawkeye, whenever he returned.

Maybe he should head down to Seoul and see if he could retrieve them like he did went he sent his own discharge papers in. Maybe they would just throw the papers away since they didn't have the Colonel's signature. Maybe he would process it and B.J would be home for his daughter's second birthday.

Klinger could not help but smile at the idea of that. Maybe he should just give it up to fate.

Besides, he spent his whole time in Korea trying to get one over the army. If there was any good cause for it, then this was it.

**The End**

**Please review and let me know what you think! **


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